


Little Shop of Love

by notkewlio, quizzletriangle3



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Flowers, M/M, flower shop au, more to be added - Freeform, troubled relationships for lovi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-14
Packaged: 2018-03-12 20:15:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3353867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notkewlio/pseuds/notkewlio, https://archiveofourown.org/users/quizzletriangle3/pseuds/quizzletriangle3
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lovino, a successful business man (due to inheritance to start him off) is not that successful at finding a partner and is absorbed in his work because of that. He owns a small flower shop to make his wealth look small, and spends all his time there instead of out and looking for love. Why would he anyway? When the only people that are interested in him correlate to their interest in his money, what chance does he have of finding someone who truly loves him? That is, until Alfred, a poorer customer walks into his shop one day and never seems to have left in his daily runs there, and seems to also have walked into Lovino's life....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Pitiful Carnations

**Author's Note:**

> Hello readers! Today, valentines day, i bring to you two chapters of a cute flower shop au me and my best friend have been working on! I hope you enjoy. Most of the flower knowledge is from a website, but i do know quite a bit myself ;)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we get to see how Lovino's brain works, and why hes such a grump.  
> 

Lovino looked away from the computer screen for the fifth time in under a minute, pinching the bridge of his nose to calm his frustration and exhaustion of the work glowing in front of him. He just couldn't stop fighting the guilt that was slowly eating him alive ever since he had to look into the look of utter depression (a look he had _caused_ ) of a strapping young man by the name of Antonio, who had just wanted to bloom the flowers of passion Lovino was lacking.

 

 _Or plant his seed of influence over his money_.... Lovino bitterly thought to himself, throwing the pen in his hand across the small office space. Antonio, despite his optimism and obvious charm and influence he had over Lovino's heart, was just like the rest of his 'suitors.' Not-too-successful men that wanted money to pocket either before or after Lovino's inevitable end. Antonio had smiled sweetly and promised love he couldn't have hoped for, but the bright glint in his eyes only seemed to appear when he praised Lovino for his fortune. The only time he literally lit up at the sight of seeing the average-heighted, neatly trimmed brunet, was when he knew that Lovino was going to pay for something. And there were always those small questions: "Why do _you_ own a _flower_ shop?" or "Isn't there _more_ you could doing?"

 

This fling had, luckily, only been a little over a week. But that was enough for Lovino to officially promise off anymore high-stakes men that only saw his overfilled pockets, and not the (somewhat scrawny) beautiful man that lay underneath that baggage.

 

He felt sick thinking about how often he had been played. Did no one consider his opinion or his actual _feelings_?

 

Lovino turned the harshly lit monitor off and stormed from the office space, barely managing to lock the small door before storming up the spiral staircase on the side of the store, by the counter, to his humble loft above his work place.

 

Sighing, Lovino went through his nightly routine, washing his face, brushing his teeth, dressing himself in his night clothes (the only thing he _really_ indulged on). The whole drab was rather passive, just him feeling cold and used. The downy sheets of his comforter welcomed him, the plush mattress underneath quaking to meet and hold his light weight, his head hugged by the white pillows beneath him.

 

The dead feeling filling a hole in his chest (a hole that only seemed to get _bigger_ , he noted) would pass in a bit, Lovino knew this. It always passed. He just needed to remind himself that everyone into him was an asshole. No one really cared. His own _brother_ only visited once in awhile.

 

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Sleep always helped. It rejuvenated him, let him get his thoughts in order for the next day and give a chance to be sad and relaxed without having to be conscious through it.

 

He'd sworn off lovers today.

 

No one would get past this barrier.

 

Right?

 

* * *

 

  


Nothing like a hard, work day to make Lovino want to kill himself. Numerous customers walked in. Many taking his best flowers, a few buying the worst (they were the more affordable ones anyway). There were even a few ex-flings, trying to buy their way back into his wallet by getting gorgeous bouquets he and his assistant made daily.

 

No matter what, Lovino held fast. He would not fall into their traps of promise again. He'd been there and seen their mistakes, looked through their haze of love into their greedy hearts.

 

But the denial didn't seem to be filling this empty cavity where his heart should be. Instead there was sadness and constant sighing.

 

The day seemed to be a usual after his leaving of a snotty lover. That is, Hell.

 

And then this one customer, one with blond hair cut to just below his ears, half-framed glasses and a toothy smile at every flower he passed by, walked in.

 

He looked at Lovino once the brunet raised his head to look at the jingling bell above the door, announcing his arrival. And then the weird fucker just stood there. Almost as if he was shaking. As the unknown blond stood in a daze, Lovino looked slowly around to see no one else there, just trying to see if there was an answer to this guy's problem. When he looked back for the casually dressed man, he saw him strolling the aisles, looking at the flowers in awe.

 

 _This is really weird_ , was the only thing going through Lovino's mind. Even when he rang the guy up, looking at the wilted carnations resting on the counter, the bright smile of the customer turned on him instead now. His heart began thudding, his brain trying to distinguish each of his thoughts at once. "This it?" He managed. Smooth.

 

Wait, he wasn't trying to be smooth.

 

Just, chill.

 

He _did_ have an image to uphold anyway.

 

The customer simply nodded so he rang him up, the total reaching below ten dollars. "Thanks, Lovino." The blond almost breathed as he took the small bundle of depressing flowers.

 

"Um, yeah... uh?" Lovino drawled off, not knowing if he should know the man who, apparently, knew him.

 

"Oh, sorry, I, uh, read your name tag." The man muttered sheepishly.

 

"Oh," Lovino repeated, looking down at his shirt for the engraved metal detailing his name. "Yeah, uh, you're welcome?" He left the last of his sentence in the air for-

 

"Alfred," Oh, nice name. A little harsh though, oddly. "Uh, thanks again!" He lightly waved his hand and _briskly_ (as in, damn he almost _ran_ ) exited the shop. Leaving Lovino alone in the empty business, the customer rush and his assistant having left; alone with the emptiness that had temporarily left him when.... Alfred, had entered.

 

Shaking his head, Lovino returned to his dull work of keeping the shop until the close, which was in less than ten minutes anyway.

 

 _Well_ , Lovino thought, locking up the place and heading upstairs for his overused routine once more. _I'm still depressed_.

 

And that was his first encounter with Alfred.


	2. The One With The Rose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two of the valentines day release! This time we learn more about Alfred. (And roses.)

Alfred continued to briskly walk even after he had left the shop. Down the street, around the corner, until he was absolutely sure he was out of the sights of that flower shop. He sighs. Holding the flowers up to his face, Alfred smiles and snickers at his poor flower choice; the flowers he had gotten were a bit... limp. Its not like he had much choice, he didn't have much pocket money, but he just felt like he _had_ to buy something. That man... Lovino... he looked sad, and Alfred wanted to cheer him up, and he wasn't sure how to, he barely knew the guy. So he bought some flowers.

 

Later, when he was back in his flat, he carefully arranged the flowers in the best vase he had. Which was to say, he found a single glass vase in his cabinets and decided to use it. The flowers still looked pitiful.

 _Once I get my paycheck_ , Alfred thinks, staring thoughtfully at the flowers suspended in water, _I should buy some nicer flowers. Maybe I’ll buy that Lovino some nice flowers._ Alfred remembers the clear confusion on Lovino’s face when Alfred said his name. "Oh, sorry, I, uh, read your name tag." With a grimace, Alfred also remembers how quickly his words and smooth attitude had left him when he looked into those amber eyes. He hadn’t acted this way since high school.

 

Alfred already knew that he would go back and visit again. He wouldn't be able to resist. He doubted his wallet would agree with his choice, but maybe if he only buys one flower...

* * *

 

Alfred was hiding in the roses.

 

His original plan was to walk in the quaint little flower shop, march up to that handsome Lovino and ask when his break was and if he wanted to go out, but that cocky confidence had quickly melted away the second Alfred stepped foot in the shop. He then wandered around until he was face to face with a rainbow of petals. Roses were gorgeous, but these were especially so. Each color looked like it had been gently airbrushed onto each petal with the utmost care. There were red, pink, orange, white; almost any color one could think of.

 

"Excuse me, can I help you?" A warm voice startles Alfred. Alfred nearly jumps out of his skin, but quickly regains composure and greets the shop keeper besides him. Its Lovino, and Alfred reacts the same way he did yesterday.

 

"Oh, uh, sorry, hello. Heh." Words. Alfred had none. Its like his words were butterflies, caught in a wind gust and blown away forever. Alfred tucks his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and clears his throat. "Uh, actually, yeah. Is it true that roses have meanings depending on their color?" Yes! Score one for Alfred, a whole sentence that's actually relevant and coherent.

 

"Yes. Would you like to know some?" Lovino smiles, his dark eyes lighting up. Alfred nods eagerly. If he can make Lovino smile, then sure, he'd fucking love to learn about roses. "See, these classic red roses represent love and romance. It’s very traditional." Lovino takes a red rose out of the container it’s resting in. He reaches into his white apron to pull a pair of clippers out of his pocket, and then carefully snips a few leaves off the bottom. He hands the flower to Alfred to admire. "Pretty, aren't they?"

 

"Mhm." Alfred agrees, spinning the rose in his fingers, studying the way the petals curve around each other.

 

"These roses are the best selling, they make a lot of money." Lovino says next. He looks up at Alfred, seemingly searching for a specific reaction, but he apparently doesn't find it. "They’re novelty, and the crowds love them." The flower Alfred is handed next has a gentle gradient of white to a kiss of red on the edge of its petals. Alfred smiles, these were his favorite type of roses. "These can mean a variety of things, depending on what colors they're made of. For example, that one would probably mean something like pure love or innocent romance, because its white and red."

 

"Really? So different color combinations would mean different things?" Alfred found that a bit precious. It was probably an easy way to send mixed signals too, but that was besides the point.

 

"Sure. Although, right now, we only have the white and red ones." Lovino shrugs, his shoulders lifting up noncommittally. "Oh, here are my favorite colored roses." There was a new tone to Lovino’s voice, one of excitement. "The salmon ones." This time, when he pulls the rose from its container, Lovino holds it up to his own face to look at and admire.

 

It was kinda cute when he did that.

 

"They represent enthusiasm, excitement and desire, just like orange roses do. I personally like these better, they're much prettier in color." Lovino smiles softly, still looking at the brightly colored flower in his hands. "They're a good thing to keep around on a bad day." He finally looks up at Alfred and hands him the rose.

 

Alfred takes it. "These are very pretty, I wish I could buy them all." Alfred chuckles. "I think I'll only take one though." He puts the red rose back, and the novelty rose back. Now, he’s holding only the salmon colored one. "It is very pretty."

 

"Yeah," Lovino says. He purses his lips and nods thoughtfully, gazing off into space for a second. Lovino clears his throat. "Well, come on, I'll check you out."

 

"You'll do what now?" Alfred says, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

 

Lovino's face flushes a dark red color. "I mean I'll ring you up!" He defends. Alfred just laughs.

 

"Don’t be afraid to check me out, Lovino. I do have a hot bod." Alfred teases. He winks at Lovino and Lovino huffs. Fighting back a smile, Lovino quickly walks away, heading towards the register counter. "Oh come on, you know that was funny!" Alfred calls after him.

 

Alfred walks up to the counter and gently places the rose on the clean surface.

 

"Will that be all?" Lovino asks, making sure he won't have to ring any more flowers up.

 

"Sure will." Alfred pays for the flower and tucks the receipt given to him into his jacket pocket. "Thank you, Lovino!" Alfred holds his rose up to admire. "Are roses your favorite flower?"

 

"No, actually, my favorites are daisies."

 

"And why is that?"

 

"They're simplistic looking flowers. Also, they're Italy's national flower. Viva l'Italia, and all that." Lovino smiles.

 

"Oh," Alfred laughs. "My favorite flowers are spotted tiger lilies. Do you sell those here?"

 

"No, actually, I don't." Lovino frowns, thinking. "I could get some though."

 

"Really? Just for me?" Alfred says, a childish excitement in his eyes.

 

"Yeah," Lovino agrees. He shrugs and nods simultaneously, _why not?_ Lovino thinks.

 

He would get some spotted tiger lilies for Alfred right away.

 


End file.
